Dispensing spout and closure with adjustable sifter



P 5 P. BROOKS $61 3 DISPENSING SPOUT AND CLOSURE WITH ADJUSTABLE SIFTERFiled "Oct. 4, 1949 INVENTOR Pfi/Y/p Brae/r5 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 18,1-952 7 DISPENSING sfrojtrr ANocnosURE' WITH ADJUSTABLE SIFTER PhilipBrooks; Darien, Conmassignor to International Salt Company, Scranton,-Pa:

Application octotert, 1949, Serial N0." iron-13* Tl'ii'S inventionrelates to container dispenser" means,- andparticularly to animprovedspout device for containers of granular materials such as s aiflsugarand the like; whereby the contai n'er' contents may} heselectivelypour-edor sprinkled in improved manner therefrom.-

Or'ie attire obie'ct's'of the invention'is-toprovid'e' an improvedclosure dispensing s out of the character referred to whereby theconta-in'er" contents be either poured-or sprinkled throng-h said spoutimproved manner,

Another object or invention is to provide an improved spoutdevice of thecharacter described whichis: adapted to selective operation for eitherpouring or sifting or spraying the c'on-- tai-he'r' contentstiierethrougir in improved man-- ner'.

Still another'obiect'of theinvention is to*pro vid'e a spout device ofthe character described which is constructed -to-provide an im rovedtypeof sprinkling action, 7

Sti l-i another object or the-invention ist c provide a combinationclosure and pouring-sifting spout device-of the character describedwhich is adapted tote manually adjusted between fully closed andp'ouring and spraying and sprinkling positions with utmost ease andfacility.

Stiihanother object of'theinvention is to pro vide a-de'vi'ce' of thecharacter described which is adapted tobe manufactured inexpensively,and which is sinipl'eand rugged in construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thespecification hereinafter.

In the drawingz' Fig. 1 is a; perspectiveview'of a container fitted witha closure spo ut device of the present inve'n-- ti'on;

Fig. 2- is a fragmentary perspective thereof, on an enlarged scale;showing the spout device adjusted to sprinkling condition; and

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary section, taken on a larger scale; taken alongline III-III of Fig; 2.

The invention is illustrated by way of example inconjunction with acontainer designated it which is-illust-rated to boot thepresentlypopular paperboard cylindrical type container, such as in whichhousehold or table salt is packaged. However, it is to he understood.that the container per'se may be of any other'shape', style, orconstruction, such as a rectangular shape; but in any event will beformed to include a wail portion I2 which is apertured' as indicated atI4 to permit dispensing of the container contents there through; v

The: spout-means of" the invention comprises a 5 Claims. (Cl. 222-189)two-part device consisting of a combination c10 sure and spout elementIt which is constructed of sheet metal, plastic, paperboard or any othermaterial, to com rise a bottom plate portion 8" and a pair ofsegmentally shaped'siue wall p" ti'o'ns' -i9i9; the bottom plate portioni 8 being" formed at its inner end with a hinge eye 211' and at itsouter end with afinger: tab 21 'fih'e" eye ortion 233 is arranged toreceive ahing'e' pirr 2'2, which is positioned upon the container by a 9suitable means, sucha's by a stapling procedure as indicated at- 2 4Thus, the Spout ihembi i is ivoteliy'niounted upon the water er so to berotatable thereon Between disp if 0'16 d position and pouring position;the side wens iQ-J-Q- of the spout member being fo'rriredwith laterallyturned ear portions 2 6: (Fig. 2 for Iiinitingf outwardpivo ti'ngmovement of the spout member to the pouring position thereof;

The second element of the spout device of the invention comprises anovel screen member 3U] which is in the form of a smoothly curved meta-istrip perforated atintervals as indicated at 32 and formed with a fingert'ah port-ion s3 and a side wall portion 34 which in turn includes abottorii flange s5 terminating in arr ey'est' which pivotall'y' engagesupon the hinge pin 22. The screen plate 30 is curved to align withthfouter marginal contours of the spout sid'e' walls fil -f9 which areconcentriowith the'hi nge pin 2 Arse, the perforated plate member 30'terminates at its" inner' end iri-an-up-turned flange ortion i8 t F'ig-2) Whichis adapted to function as astop deviceto' preventoutwardswingingof" the screen meniber36 beyond the positiori-theroi-show irrFig 2%Thus, it Will lee-appreciated that the rflerribefs' l6 and 3'0 ares'electivelypivotableupori the hing pin 22, by simple? manualmanipulations or the finger tab portions 2 I -33 thereof; and thatwhenever both members are pushed toward nosed positions the containerdispeii'si ngaperture is thereby closed off} Then, for exarnpie uponpulling upon the iinger't'a'b 2 l the pouring spout; member It may bethereby swung: outwardly So" as to provide atrough in open communicationwith the dispensing aperture I' l of the: container through which thesalt or other contents of'tii'" container may be poured in the forth ofa Solid stream: Or, if it is desired to sprinkle the'coriu tents of thecontainen the finger tab- 33 is also pulled upon so asto draw the screenmember 30- outwardl'y' into position whereby the finger" tab portions 2l*3 3" snuglylap'; whereupon the: saitor other contents ofthe'cont'ainerwill flow throughthe' container aperture I4 and thence"through r e 3 the spout member I6 and thence out of the perforations 32of the screen member 39.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the container contents may besprinkled in an improved guided manner, directly from the outwardlyextending screen plate 30, which is kept fully loaded during suchsprinkling operations by reason of the free path for the commodity to bedispensed through the open spout to the rear face of the screen plate.Also, it will be appreciated that whenever the screen plate is pivotedto its retracted position it avoids interference with the normal spoutpouring operation; and that when the spout member is pushed to closedposition it automatically displaces the screen member to inoperativeposition and seals the'container.

Still another form of dispensing operation is available in accord withthe invention, by simply positioning the finger tab members 2|33 to beslightly apart; thereby providing an open lips effect between which thesalt or other commodity may issue in the form of a substantially flatspray. Thus, shaking of the container in a laterally oscillating mannerwill result in still another form of commodity spreading action asillustrated for example at 4B in Fig. 2; and it will of course beunderstood that the members l6--30 may be snugly fitted upon the hingepin and in the container wall aperture so that they are frictionallyresistant to movement, whereby they will remain in any adjustedposition. Or, any other suitable detent means or the like may beemployed if preferred to cause the members to remain in their adjustedclosed or open or partially open positions.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the dispenser of the inventionprovides for optional dispensing of material in the form of a fullpouring or a sifted sprinkling or a flat spray; and although only oneform of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will beunderstood that various changes may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: I

1. A combination closure and commodity dispensing device adapted to bemounted upon an apertured wall portion of a container for selectivedispensing of granular commodity therefrom, said dispensing devicecomprising in combination a hinge pin fixed to the container walladjacent the apertured portion thereof, a spout devicecomprising atrough shaped member having a bottom wall and a pair of opposite sidewalls extending therefrom, said bottom wall having an eye portion formedat one end for pivotal engagement with said hinge pin and formed at itsother end with an extending finger tab, said side wall portions beingsegmental shaped and formed with outwardly directed flange portionsadjacent their inner ends for abutting contact with the interior of saidcontainer wall whereby said spout device is pivotable between extendedand retracted positions relative to said container wall within thelimits of movement permitted by said stop devices, and a screen deviceslip-fitted within said spout device and comprising a perforate top wallportion aligned with the open top portion of said spout device and aside wall portion extending alongside one of the side wall portions ofsaid spout member and terminating in an eye engaging said hinge pinwhereby said screen device is pivotable within said spout device betweenpositions providing covering and uncovering of the open top .portion ofsaid spout 4 device, said screen device being formed with an outstandingflange at the inner end thereof for abutting engagement against theinner surface of said container wall, whereby said spout and screendevices are selectively pivotable upon said hinge pin device betweenextended and retracted positions relative to the container.

2. A combination closure and commodity dispensing device adapted to bemounted upon an apertured wall portion of a container for controllingdispensing of discrete material therefrom, said dispensing devicecomprising in combination a hinge pin adapted to be fixed to thecontainer wall adjacent the apertured portion thereof, a spout devicecomprising a sheet member bent to U-shaped sectional form and having abottom wall and a pair of segmental shaped opposite side walls extendingtherefrom, said bottom wall having an eye portion formed at one end forpivotal engagement with said hinge pin, one of said side wall portionsbeing formed with an outwardly directed flange for abutting contact withthe interior of said container wall whereby said spout device ispivotable between extended and retracted positions relative to saidcontainer wall within the limits of movement permitted by said stopdevice for pouring type dispensing, and a screen device slip-fittedwithin said spout device and comprising a perforate top wall portionaligned with the outer marginal portions of said spout device side wallsand a side wall portion extending alongside one of the side wallportions of said spout member and terminating in an eye portion engagingsaid hinge pin whereby said screen device is pivotable within said spoutdevice between positions providing covering and uncovering of thedischarge opening portion of said spout device to provide for sprinklingof the material from the end of said spout when desired, whereby saidspout and screen device are selectively pivotable upon said hinge pindevice between extended and retracted positions relative to thecontainer.

3. A dispensing closure device for mounting upon a container aperturefor selective dispensing of powdered or granular material therefrom,said device comprising a spout member of trough shaped form having abottom wall and opposite side walls extending therefrom, said bottomwall having means formed at one end thereof for pivotal engagement withthe container at an edge of the apertured portion thereof and formed atits other end with an extending finger tab, stop means for limitingpivoting movement of said spout member when mounted upon the containerwhereby said spout member is pivotable between extended and retractedpositions relative to said container within the limits of movement permitted by said stop means, and a screen member slidable between saidside walls along the outer marginal portions thereof to span the spacetherebetween and bridge the dispensing outlet of said spout member,whereby said screen member is movable within said spout member betweenpositions providing alternately for free passage and screening ofmaterial passing through said spout member.

4. A dispensing closure device adapted to be mounted upon an aperturedportion of a container for controlling dispensing of pourable materialtherefrom, said device comprising a spout member of generally U-shapedform having a pair of opposite side walls, means pivotally mounting saidspout member upon said container so as to be pivotable between extendedand retracted positions relative to said container, and a screen memberof generally arcuate form in lengthwise extent inverted relative to saidspout member and slidable within said spout member between positionsproviding either free passage or screening of material pouring throughsaid spout member, whereby said spout and screen members are selectivelymovable between extended and retracted positions relative to thecontainer.

5. A combination container closure and commodity dispensing deviceadapted to be mounted upon an apertured wall portion of a container forcontrolling dispensing of material therefrom, said dispensing devicecomprising a troughshaped spout member having opposed side Walls andformed at one end for engagement with said container, said spout memberbeing formed with stop means whereby said spout member is movablebetween extended and retracted positions relative to said container wallwithin the limits of movement permitted by said stop means, and

PHILIP BROOKS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,537,408 Cogswell May 12, 19251,599,536 Ladd Sept. 14, 1926 1,922,174 Pidgeon Aug. 15, 1933

